GMA Outlines Four Pillars of Food Safety

WASHINGTON — The Grocery Manufacturers Association outlined an imported food safety proposal here yesterday that emphasizes contamination prevention in foods’ country of origin. “Ensuring the United States has the safest food supply in the world is priority No. 1 for the food and beverage industry,” said Cal Dooley, president and chief executive officer of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. “Because we cannot simply inspect our way to a safer food supply, industry can apply its vast knowledge and practical experience along the entire supply chain to prevent problems before they arise. And, under our proposal, a fortified FDA will be right there with us, side by side, to make sure we do it right.” The proposal, called the Four Pillars of Food Safety, focuses on requiring importers of record to adopt a foreign-supplier quality assurance program; allowing the FDA to focus greater resources on higher-risk countries and products; building capacity within foreign governments to facilitate food safety standards more closely aligned with those of the FDA; and expanding the capacity of the FDA to get the job done.

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